99 Ranch Market or bust!
July 1, 2024 9:19 AM Subscribe
Planning a 99 Ranch Market (US based Chinese megagrocery) run, and looking for ideas for instant/frozen foods to try.
Low prep is the only requirement. By "low prep" I mean microwave, toaster or add boiling water level of prep. Anything involving a stove, oven, instant pot or slow cooker is too much prep.
On the list so far is jianbing (frozen scallion pancakes) and instant congee. What else should I try?
Ideas from Korean market, Northgate Market (LA area Mexican chain), and Indian Grocery also welcome, as I'm lucky to have those within expedition distance.
Low prep is the only requirement. By "low prep" I mean microwave, toaster or add boiling water level of prep. Anything involving a stove, oven, instant pot or slow cooker is too much prep.
On the list so far is jianbing (frozen scallion pancakes) and instant congee. What else should I try?
Ideas from Korean market, Northgate Market (LA area Mexican chain), and Indian Grocery also welcome, as I'm lucky to have those within expedition distance.
Frozen kimbap, I grab a few whenever I go and they make a great easy to microwave lunch.
Instant tteobokki if you like spicy food.
This might be too much prep, but I tend to buy a few bags of frozen dumplings, whatever veggies looks good, and throw a handful of chopped veggie and dumplings in my rice cooker with the steam basket.
And if I’m really low energy I grab whatever ramen packets look interesting.
posted by lepus at 9:29 AM on July 1
Instant tteobokki if you like spicy food.
This might be too much prep, but I tend to buy a few bags of frozen dumplings, whatever veggies looks good, and throw a handful of chopped veggie and dumplings in my rice cooker with the steam basket.
And if I’m really low energy I grab whatever ramen packets look interesting.
posted by lepus at 9:29 AM on July 1
If you look carefully in the frozen foods section, you will find many dim sum type things (shumai, little dumplings, etc) that are pre-cooked and can be microwaved. They aren't quite as good as the ones you actually steam, but when you don't feel like steaming things, non-steam dumplings are perfectly good. If I were doing this, I'd grab some black vinegar and/or sesame oil for topping/dipping.
There will almost certainly also be a number of pre-cooked flat pancake/buns, often with sesame on the outside, that can be heated in the toaster or microwave. There will be some that have a sweet filling, some that have savory or vegetable filling.
When you microwave buns, do it in short bursts until you get a sense of how long it is likely to take - you can accidentally dry out the surface of the bun and render it leathery.
If I were going to an Indian grocery, I would simply buy all the frozen samosas on offer. Or honestly, most frozen Indian meals and breads. I am personally a big fan of Deep brand methi malai mutter, which is peas in a creamy sauce with fenugreek. I would probably buy any frozen dinners that were not readily available other places. I'd also look and see if they had any frozen snacks like khaman dhokla (again, better fresh, but I personally will eat even low-grade khaman dhokla.
If I were going to a big Chinese grocery store I personally would also look for potato chips in China-only flavors - Lay's does some amazing ones, particularly the lamb and szechuan pepper flavors. And if they have any fresh filled buns - around here they are from a vietnamese bakery, but the Chinese grocery stores usually stock them - especially any kind of filled pandan bun. These are not frozen things, of course, but you won't be sorry.
posted by Frowner at 9:44 AM on July 1 [3 favorites]
There will almost certainly also be a number of pre-cooked flat pancake/buns, often with sesame on the outside, that can be heated in the toaster or microwave. There will be some that have a sweet filling, some that have savory or vegetable filling.
When you microwave buns, do it in short bursts until you get a sense of how long it is likely to take - you can accidentally dry out the surface of the bun and render it leathery.
If I were going to an Indian grocery, I would simply buy all the frozen samosas on offer. Or honestly, most frozen Indian meals and breads. I am personally a big fan of Deep brand methi malai mutter, which is peas in a creamy sauce with fenugreek. I would probably buy any frozen dinners that were not readily available other places. I'd also look and see if they had any frozen snacks like khaman dhokla (again, better fresh, but I personally will eat even low-grade khaman dhokla.
If I were going to a big Chinese grocery store I personally would also look for potato chips in China-only flavors - Lay's does some amazing ones, particularly the lamb and szechuan pepper flavors. And if they have any fresh filled buns - around here they are from a vietnamese bakery, but the Chinese grocery stores usually stock them - especially any kind of filled pandan bun. These are not frozen things, of course, but you won't be sorry.
posted by Frowner at 9:44 AM on July 1 [3 favorites]
Anytime I go to Mitsuwa (Japanese) or H-Mart (Korean) I always get a variety of fresh noodles as these make a much nicer ramen/soup than the dried ones. I'm a big fan of egg noodles or udon style, a bit of frozen veggies and some of the 'ramen' seasoning to spice up a quick bowl of noodles.
Aside: I was curious about this operation and tried to go find more info. That is the single most user hostile website I have seen in some time - no part of the site is usable without providing a zip code.
posted by zenon at 10:24 AM on July 1
Aside: I was curious about this operation and tried to go find more info. That is the single most user hostile website I have seen in some time - no part of the site is usable without providing a zip code.
posted by zenon at 10:24 AM on July 1
88 Marketplace in Chicago has a wonderful assortment of frozen bao. I like everything I've tried, so I recommend getting anything that sounds even remotely interesting. BBQ pork is a safe choice, but one of my faves from the last haul was (I think?) water spinach, just grabbed on a whim.
If you like starchy rice globules, glutinous rice balls are fun and also come in a pile of flavors.
This is your time to load up on flavor. Chili crisp is awesome. Lao gan ma is as good as people say, but also grab a jar of anything that looks interesting. Hard to go wrong. Grab a bottle of Golden Mountain Sauce and use it on things where you'd otherwise just sprinkle on some salt. Black vinegar. Furikake.
If you like soft boiled peanuts, look for the jarred peanuts in soy sauce.
Definitely hit up the snacks aisle and get any chip or candy flavor that looks appealing. I tried the grape and peach Oreos so you don't have to (give them a miss 🤢). Same for sodas/snack beverages.
And then finally for staples, the tofu at 88 is priced better than at my local store, even Aldi, so I always load up. Same with rice if you're a rice guy.
posted by phunniemee at 10:38 AM on July 1 [1 favorite]
If you like starchy rice globules, glutinous rice balls are fun and also come in a pile of flavors.
This is your time to load up on flavor. Chili crisp is awesome. Lao gan ma is as good as people say, but also grab a jar of anything that looks interesting. Hard to go wrong. Grab a bottle of Golden Mountain Sauce and use it on things where you'd otherwise just sprinkle on some salt. Black vinegar. Furikake.
If you like soft boiled peanuts, look for the jarred peanuts in soy sauce.
Definitely hit up the snacks aisle and get any chip or candy flavor that looks appealing. I tried the grape and peach Oreos so you don't have to (give them a miss 🤢). Same for sodas/snack beverages.
And then finally for staples, the tofu at 88 is priced better than at my local store, even Aldi, so I always load up. Same with rice if you're a rice guy.
posted by phunniemee at 10:38 AM on July 1 [1 favorite]
no part of the site is usable without providing a zip code
individual 99 Ranches vary widely. the one I shop at in Beaverton, OR is markedly different than ones I've been to in San Jose or Seattle.
posted by Dr. Twist at 10:40 AM on July 1
individual 99 Ranches vary widely. the one I shop at in Beaverton, OR is markedly different than ones I've been to in San Jose or Seattle.
posted by Dr. Twist at 10:40 AM on July 1
There is a ton of "shopping at X" videos on Youtube which should give you plenty of ideas.
posted by kschang at 1:55 PM on July 1
posted by kschang at 1:55 PM on July 1
Haha my first thought was definitely scallion pancakes, so I'm glad they're already on your radar! But I do think you have to fire up your stove to use them. When I have defrosted them I always use a pan on the stove. I think most places that serve them heat frozen ones, they are a ton of work to make from scratch and the frozen ones I reheated at home tastes EXACTLY like the ones from a restaurant.
If you have a local fave xiao long bao restaurant a lot of them sell frozen XLB directly to local Asian markets so you can just get the experience at home by steaming them from frozen. Not to say that the random ones you get there won't also be good - XLB steam and reheat surprisingly well - but it's nice to know you will get the same meat and spices as your fave place. Same goes for hot pot spice mix, if there's a hot pot restaurant you like locally you could buy the spices and use it to cook things in, or dilute it as soup broth.
posted by potrzebie at 3:53 PM on July 1
If you have a local fave xiao long bao restaurant a lot of them sell frozen XLB directly to local Asian markets so you can just get the experience at home by steaming them from frozen. Not to say that the random ones you get there won't also be good - XLB steam and reheat surprisingly well - but it's nice to know you will get the same meat and spices as your fave place. Same goes for hot pot spice mix, if there's a hot pot restaurant you like locally you could buy the spices and use it to cook things in, or dilute it as soup broth.
posted by potrzebie at 3:53 PM on July 1
I usually get a big box of mangoes. They are much more affordable than at the usual American supermarkets. It is a challenge to eat them before they go bad, tho.
posted by qxntpqbbbqxl at 5:21 PM on July 1
posted by qxntpqbbbqxl at 5:21 PM on July 1
For Indian, here we have “packet Indian,” usually in a box, that holds a plastic pouch. If microwaving I would put it in a bowl and not do it in the packet but supposedly you can. You can get various ones…dal paneer dishes. They aren’t the ultimate in healthy but they are fast and easy. And they are shelf stable (they’re usually on shelves.)
posted by warriorqueen at 7:22 PM on July 1
posted by warriorqueen at 7:22 PM on July 1
I grew up going to Ranch 99 and it ranks pretty low on my ratings of Asian grocery stores, but the only frozen entree I found acceptable and pretty good and almost restaurant quality (except for it being too salty) was this frozen chicken curry. This is a Chinese-style yellow curry, which I really think is really delicious as a flavor profile. I haven't had this in like 15 years though, so hope it's still good though, but the packaging hasn't changed at all.
【 限時秒殺 】味全咖哩雞肉飯 - 味全咖喱鸡肉饭 - WEI/C RICE BOWL-CHICKEN CURRY
posted by yueliang at 10:15 PM on July 1
【 限時秒殺 】味全咖哩雞肉飯 - 味全咖喱鸡肉饭 - WEI/C RICE BOWL-CHICKEN CURRY
posted by yueliang at 10:15 PM on July 1
I grew up going to Ranch 99 and it ranks pretty low on my ratings of Asian grocery stores
What are the better alternatives? (If in the greater LA area, where OP is. And I am. ;] )
posted by snuffleupagus at 3:37 PM on July 2
What are the better alternatives? (If in the greater LA area, where OP is. And I am. ;] )
posted by snuffleupagus at 3:37 PM on July 2
« Older How to label search terms to stand out in Blogger... | Vacation ideas for late August? Newer »
You are not logged in, either login or create an account to post comments
posted by Selena777 at 9:22 AM on July 1 [3 favorites]